Interview with Author Sheila Roberts
At what point did you decide to be an author and what was your path to publication?
Interesting you should ask. I’d always been writing, starting as a child, creating stories to read to my grade school class (aka, a captive audience). I moved on to short stories and magazine articles. Then, one day, I got an idea for what I thought would be a fun book. One of my friends was a writer, and I thought I’d pass the idea on to her. Then I thought again. Wait a minute. We could use some extra money. Why don’t I write this book? So I did. I closed my eyes, pointed to a name in The Writers Guide, and found my first agent. She took me on, and just like that, I sold. Sounds idyllic, doesn’t it? But let me tell you, we all pay our dues in this business. Some of us pay at the beginning of our career, some at the middle, and others at the end. But we all pay. I paid mine in the middle of my career. Two crashes and two times of having to reinvent myself. So all in all, three lives of Sheila. The third try was the charm and I’ve been going strong ever since. I say all this to encourage other writers. If you have any talent, if you love writing, don’t give up. You may have had a career stumble, but get up, brush off your bruised ego, and get back in the game. It’s the only way you’ll reach the finish line and see that dream come true.
What do you do when a new idea jumps out at you while you’re still working on a book? Do you chase the squirrel (aka “UP syndrome”) or do you finish your current project first?
I make note of it, for sure. I have a collection of future book ideas – some are only a paragraph, some I’ve done a synopsis for, and for some I’ve even written a couple first chapters. They are in the wings, waiting for their time on stage. I have to give all my attention to just one brain baby at a time.
What are some books or authors that you would recommend to our readers?
Oh, my! I have so many friends writing excellent novels. For women’s fiction, here are a few. Marie Bostwick’s upcoming Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly will be out the end of May. I’m reading the ARC right now and loving it. Also upcoming is Susan Wiggs’s Welcome to Beach Town, which will be fabulous, I know. Also, anything by Nancy Naigle. As for non-fiction, I highly recommend reading the book The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg and Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. These are excellent helps for writers. Also, anything on writing by Donald Maas is worth the investment.
Tell us what you enjoy most about writing.
I have written both fiction and non-fiction, as well as several write for hire projects over the years. What I love about writing fiction, which for me is women’s fiction/romance, is the fun of telling a story. I love giving readers a happy ending and a dose of encouragement. My non-fiction books (Unexpected Journey, What’s in a Name and Old is Not a Four Letter Word) are all self-published and meant to teach, inspire, and encourage. I do believe that, as writers, we can bring something positive into people’s lives, and I try to do that no matter what I’m writing.
Have you been able to incorporate your previous experience in your writing?
Mermaid Beach has a lot of my past life in it. Like the Mermaids, I was a band chick, playing keyboard and singing. I also wrote a lot of songs and made a ton of trips to Nashville, trying to make it as a songwriter. It looks like I was meant to be a writer instead. 
Do you identify with your main character or did you create a character that is your opposite?
I identify to a certain extent with my main character, Bonnie. I understand the burning desire to succeed at something you’re good at and the frustration of not seeing it come to fruition. But life is a long, exciting journey, and as Bonnie learns, you should never say never. Sometimes, it’s a matter of getting your priorities straight. I did eventually see a song I co-wrote land on an artist’s CD. It was a thrill, but that thrill didn’t come until after I’d learned a very important life lesson: Success is a poor god to worship and not worth the sacrifice. Happily, I figured this out before my drive drove me off a cliff. This is not to say you shouldn’t work to make those dreams come true and to be the very best you can be at what you do. It is to say that you never want to leave behind the other important things in your life in the process of pursuing it.
Describe the book in 10 words or less for people who are just learning about it.
Mermaid Beach is about making dreams come true and learning what’s important in life. (That’s as close to ten words as I can get!)
Is there anything you would like people to take away from your book?
Inspiration and a smile. I’m a big believer in happy endings.
Share some advice for aspiring authors. What advice would you give to your younger self?
Work at learning your craft. I think many writers get in too big of a hurry to get out work that isn’t ready to see the light of day. Allow yourself time to grow as a writer.
What is your favorite line from your book?
I think my favorite quote is from my hot mama drummer: “Love trumps everything. It’s what music was made for.”
About the Book:
Author: Sheila Roberts
Publisher: MIRA
Pages: 384
Genre: Women’s Fiction/Romance
BOOK BLURB:
Bonnie Brinks and her all-woman band, The Mermaids, are the pride of Moonlight Harbor. They’re the house band at The Drunken Sailor, and that’s just the right amount of fame for Bonnie. A lifetime ago, she went to Nashville to make it big, but she returned home with a broken heart and broken dreams. Now she’s got a comfortable life and a brilliant daughter, Avril, who plays for The Mermaids alongside Bonnie and Bonnie’s mother, Loretta.
Avril has big dreams of her own. Her life in Moonlight Harbor is good–she loves singing and playing guitar with The Mermaids, and she has the sweetest, most loyal boyfriend a girl could ask for–but it all feels so…small. She can’t help wondering if there’s something more out there for her. And she doesn’t understand why her mom won’t support her going to Nashville to find out.
Meanwhile, Bonnie threw in the towel on her love life long ago, but Loretta sure hasn’t. She’s determined to be swept off her feet, and she wants the same for her daughter. When the hunky new owner of The Drunken Sailor turns the tables on the band and Avril announces she’s leaving Moonlight Harbor, Bonnie’s comfortable life seems to be drifting away. Will these three generations of Mermaids find their happy endings on the Washington coast? Or will the change in the winds leave them all shipwrecked?
“Blooming with heartfelt charm and swoon-worthy moments…” Woman’s World Magazine
Release Date: April 25, 2023
About the Author
USA Today and Publishers Weekly best-selling author Sheila Roberts has written over fifty books under various names, ranging from romance to self-improvement. Over three million books have been sold to date. Her humor and heart have won her a legion of fans and her novels have been turned into movies for both the Lifetime and Hallmark channels. When she’s not out dancing with her husband or hanging out with her girlfriends, she can be found writing about those things near and dear to women’s hearts: family, friends and chocolate.
Website: http://www.sheilasplace.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/funwithsheila/
